What the senators said before the Corona trial

ABS-CBN News

Juan Ponce EnrileSenate President, Presiding officer

"I think that we have to accept the fact that there’s an adversarial position between the two departments of government. So, it’s better for us in the Senate to be as reticent as we could so we will be able to judge the issues carefully, impartially and fairly."

Joker Arroyo

"The net effect of this would be that President Aquino would achieve being an autocrat this time by stroke of genius. The president will be able to control the entire government without having to declare martial law."

Panfilo Lacson

"A great majority of us in the Upper Chamber are not for sale. That I can say with authority."

Edgardo Angara

"Is there really no hope for a truce so the entire country will not have to be caught up in the dispute between the President and the Chief Justice? Let's first explore areas of reconciliation. It is not too late."

Franklin Drilon

"All his decisions are for Gloria. His own record shows that he favors Arroyo. What is important here is how people perceive him."

Bongbong Marcos

"My job as senator/judge is cut out for me: understand the charges, appreciate the evidence presented, and most importantly, decide based solely on what I believe to be fair and just whether it be popular or not. That's what I owe the people that voted for me. That's what I can give to my country."

Antonio Trillanes IV

"The over-arching policy issue in this whole impeachment episode is whether the conviction or acquittal of Chief Justice Renato Corona would be good for our country. To resolve this, I intend to use political acceptability as the sole criterion to evaluate the projected outcomes of either policy alternative of conviction or acquittal."

Sergio Osmeña III

"You really want a Supreme Court that can exercise fairness in all its decisions and it's very obvious that the majority, not every member but a majority of the Court, has been so openly partisan towards Gloria that I am scared for the country because there are a lot of important cases that fall before the Court."

Alan Peter Cayetano

"I think the Senate will be as much on trial as the Judiciary in proving its impartiality as an institution. It's not only a judicial process, not being a criminal or administrative case but also a political process. We can be political but at the same time remain impartial."

Jinggoy Estrada

"I have to study hard for the trial so I can be at par with my colleagues who are brilliant lawyers."

Lito Lapid

Vicente Sotto III

"Hopefully, we can finish it [Corona impeachment trial] before the Easter break."

Ralph Recto

"Who will commit resources in this country next year if they know there is instability of some sort, political stability… The executive and the Supreme Court are clashing. This is not good."

Pia Cayetano

“This is not a trial by publicity. The impeachment court has been constituted. Prudence dictates that we refrain from any discussion in deference to the impeachment court and the proceedings, and show respect for our Constitutional process."

Miriam Defensor Santiago

"These are very disturbing times. When you impeach the chief justice, those who are against his policies, maybe unrelated to the ongoing controversy, will also seize the opportunity to rise against him. So that becomes an atmosphere of instability."

Francis Escudero

"I think at the end of the day, the people will judge the senator-judges based on how they explained their votes and carry themselves, not necessarily how they vote."

Information from ABS-CBNNews.com and various websites including The Philippine Star, Business Mirror, Twitter and the Philippine Senate